Improvement in shifting-rails for carriage-tops



s. JOHNS.

shifting-Rail.

fr Patented'lApg, 24;, 1866 In vernrtour,

Mlm

Witnesss AM. PHOTO-LITHD. (IIJv N. (DSBORNES PROCESS) NTTEE STATES PATENT il-EEicE.

SHADRAOH JOHNS, OF WAUPUN, WISCONSIN.

Specilication forming part of Letters Patent No. 541,169, dated April 24, 1866.

To all lwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SEADEAoH JoHNs, of Waupun, county of Dodge, in the State of Wisconsin, have invented anew and Improved Method of Constructing and Operating` Shifting-Rails for Buggy-Tops; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon in the several figures, like parts being indicated by like letters.

The nature of my invention consists in making the standards of my rail of a certain key shape, to fit into corresponding1 recesses in the sides and back of seat, and by means ot' an intermediate piece, easily operated, secure or release the several keys or standards, putting in place or shifting the buggy-top at pleasure.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

Figure l represents an elevation ofthe seat with rails attached; Fig. 2, an elevation of the side of the same; Fig. 3, an elevation or top view of seat without the rails.

A is the seat; B, the top rail; B', a second or lower one. C shows the several standards, and e the feet or keys.

D represents holes in the top of ends and back of seat for keys to enter. These mortises are covered by plates d, well secured to seat, underneath which the small projecting feet e of standards engage. Pivoted near these recesses I have plates j', the purpose ot' which is to cover the holes when the top is o', and thus exclude dirt.

Between the two center standards, G, there is a rod, G, having a right-and-left-hand screw on their respective ends to enter corresponding holes in these standards.

The lower rail, B connecting each front and rear standards, acts as a kind of spring to the latter, and these rear standards can be more widely separated or drawn together by the operation of the screw-rod connecting them.

The operation is as follows: The front standards and their feet or keys are always intended to be at a fixed distance apart to drop into their holes. After they are inserted the rails are pushed back, so that the projecting points of feet engage under the plates. The feet of rear standards should now be pushed down into their recesses, and, this being done, by turning the serewrod G the f'eet or standards are drawn together, securing, or locking them under their respective plates. 'Ihe process ot' un'shifting is just the reverse. In this wayrI promote simplicity oi' construction, economy, expedition, and also durability.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States, is-

1. The adjustable and locking feet attached to lower rail, constructed and operated substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. The screw-rod G, in combination with rail B', constructed and operating substantialljT as described, and for the purpose set forth.

SHADRACH JOHNS. Witnesses:

J oEN WARE, T. CARPENTER. 

